Suwandi hopes for the best in Davis Cup tie opener<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian best singles Suwandi expressed hope
\nof being able to win over Uzbekistan's Oleg Ogorodov in the
\nopening match of the Davis Cup Group I Asia Oceania tie at the
\nKemayoran Tennis Center, Central Jakarta, on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"It will be a tough match for me but that doesn't mean that I
\nwill go down easily. As the host, we will benefit from playing on
\nthe plexi-pave court and the weather is also on our side.
\nHopefully, I can grab the first point,\" Suwandi said on the
\nsidelines of the draw for the Davis Cup here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old added that he was not under pressure.<\/p>\n
\"I'll play without pressure, although on paper we are no match
\nfor Uzbekistan.\"<\/p>\n
The opening ceremony is on Friday at 10:30 a.m. followed by
\nthe first singles match at 11 a.m. Indonesian second singles
\nAndrian Raturandang will meet Uzbekistan top player Vadim
\nKutsenko afterwards.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, Indonesian veteran doubles pairing Bonit Wiryawan
\nand Sulistyo Wibowo will challenge Ogorodov and Dmitriy
\nTomashevich at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n
Suwandi will face Kutsenko and Andrian will go up against
\nOgorodov in the reverse singles matches on Sunday beginning at 11
\np.m.<\/p>\n
The youngest Uzbeki player, Dmitriy Mazur, is standing by as a
\nsubstitute.<\/p>\n
Suwandi said he had never played either Ogorodov or Kutsenko
\nduring his career. But he had managed to overcome Tomashevich in
\nthe 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima, Japan, and Mazur in the
\nPattaya Future in Thailand last year.<\/p>\n
\"If we lose this time, we will have to fight hard in the
\nsecond round playoffs, because our target is to survive in Group
\nI,\" said Suwandi.<\/p>\n
The 28-year-old Ogorodov was keeping mum over his chances.<\/p>\n
\"It's very difficult to play in the first match because
\neverybody wants to win at the start. I have never played him. For
\nme, it's a very serious match. We have been preparing for two
\nweeks here,\" said Ogorodov, whose tennis career includes
\ncompeting in the Australian Open and Wimbledon (1996), US Open
\n(1997) and the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.<\/p>\n
Kutsenko has the highest world ranking among the Uzbekis at
\n205, which was recorded on Jan. 29. Ogorodov is ranked 226th in
\nthe world, Tomashevich 355th and Mazur 490th.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Suwandi is ranked 423rd in the world, while Andrian
\nand Bonit are ranked 1023rd. Sulistyo has, as yet, no world
\nranking.<\/p>\n
Uzbekistan non-playing captain Abdukhamid Makhkamov said that
\nhis team had no problem with either the court surface or the
\nweather. \"No problem, we've had enough time to prepare. Everybody
\nis ready for the match,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the withdrawal of the men's singles player
\nHendri Susilo Pramono, chairman of the Indonesian Tennis
\nAssociation (Pelti) Tanri Abeng said that he had no reason to
\nseek an explanation from Hendri.<\/p>\n
\"No need for me (to ask for Hendri's clarification). I have to
\ntrust my own officials,\" he said. Tanri said he accepted the
\nreport on Hendri's withdrawal from his official in charge of
\nathletes' development Sudjiono Timan, the Davis Cup team manager
\nMartina Wijaya and non-playing captain Tintus Arianto Wibowo.<\/p>\n
When an Uzbeki journalist asked Tintus about Hendri's
\nwithdrawal at a media gathering on Wednesday, Tintus replied: \"He
\nwas not in the mood to play.\"<\/p>\n
Hendri withdrew from the team last week citing the poor
\ntreatment he had received from Sudjiono. He was replaced by
\nAndrian. (ivy)<\/p>",
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